Cesium boosts the performance of other metal oxides in capacity and is sometimes used for the hydrogenation of organic compounds. It’s sometimes used to strengthen certain types of glass. Few cesium materials are actually known. Because cesium is much harder to come across than other alkali metals, it’s still more common, and is still a severe threat to the atmosphere, plants, animals, humans, the environment, the whole world basically.
2. Background
Cesium is used in industry as a catalyst promoter. It boosts the performance of other metal oxides in capacity and is sometimes used for the hydrogenation of organic compounds. Cesium nitrate is used to make optical glasses & lenses. Cesium is sometimes used to remove traces of oxygen from vacuum tubes and light bulbs. Cesium salts are used to strengthen certain types of glass. The chloride is used in photoelectric cells, in optical instruments, and sometimes in increasing the sensitivity of electron tubes. Cesium is used in atomic clocks and more recently in ion propulsion systems.
Atomic Clock
Although cesium is much harder to come across than the other alkali metals, it is still more common than elements like iodine, uranium, and even arsenic. Few cesium minerals are even known, pollucite is the main one: they are silicate magmas cooled from granite. World production of cesium compounds is just 20 tons per year, coming mainly from the Bernic Lake in Canada with some, not much from Zimbabwe and South-West Africa.
3. Synthesis/Production
The metal is characterized by a spectrum containing two bright lines in the blue. It is silvery gold, soft, and ductile. It is the most electropositive and most alkaline element. Cesium, gallium, and mercury are the only three metals that are liquid at or around room temperature. Cesium reacts explosively with cold water, and reacts with ice at temperatures above -116°C. Cesium hydroxide is a strong base and attacks glass. Cesium reacts with the halogens to form a fluoride, chloride, bromide, and iodide. Cesium metal oxidized rapidly when exposed to the air and can form he dangerous super-oxide on its surface.
4. Human Health Implications
Humans can be exposed to cesium by drinking, eating or even breathing. The air levels of cesium are normally low, but radioactive cesium has been detected in some levels in surface water and in many types of foods.
The amount of cesium in foods and drinks depends on the amount of radioactive cesium released through nuclear power plants. People that work in the nuclear power industry may be exposed to higher levels of cesium, but many precautionary measurements can be taken to prevent this.
It is very unlikely that people experience health effects that can be traced back to cesium. When contact with radioactive cesium occurs, which is highly unlikely, a person can experience cell damage due to radiation of the cesium particles. And if that occurs, effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and even bleeding may occur. When some one is exposed for a long period of time they may lose consciousness. They could fall into a coma or even die. How serious the effects are depends upon the resistance of the individual people, the duration of exposure, and the concentration a person is exposed to.
5. Environmental Implications
Cesium is somewhat emitted into the environment naturally, normally from erosion. It is also released into the air, water and soil through mining and milling of ores. Radioactive isotopes of cesium may be released into the air by nuclear power plants and during nuclear accidents and nuclear weapons testing.
The radioactive isotopes can only be decreased in concentration, but only through radioactive decay. Non-radioactive cesium can either be destroyed when it enters the environment or it could react with other compounds and bond into very specific molecules. Both radioactive and stable cesium act the same way within the bodies of humans and animals, in a chemical way.
When cesium is in the air it can travel long distances before even settling on earth. In water and soils most cesium compounds are very water-soluble. In soils, however, cesium does not rinse out into the groundwater. It will stay within the top layers of soils and strongly bond to soil particles. And thusfore, as a result it is not readily available for uptake through plant roots. Radioactive cesium can enter plants by falling on leaves. If that occurs the plants wouldn’t be able to dissolve the cesium and it will eventually die.
10th Grade Quarter 3 Benchmark
1. Abstract
Cesium boosts the performance of other metal oxides in capacity and is sometimes used for the hydrogenation of organic compounds. It’s sometimes used to strengthen certain types of glass. Few cesium materials are actually known. Because cesium is much harder to come across than other alkali metals, it’s still more common, and is still a severe threat to the atmosphere, plants, animals, humans, the environment, the whole world basically.
2. Background
Cesium is used in industry as a catalyst promoter. It boosts the performance of other metal oxides in capacity and is sometimes used for the hydrogenation of organic compounds. Cesium nitrate is used to make optical glasses & lenses. Cesium is sometimes used to remove traces of oxygen from vacuum tubes and light bulbs. Cesium salts are used to strengthen certain types of glass. The chloride is used in photoelectric cells, in optical instruments, and sometimes in increasing the sensitivity of electron tubes. Cesium is used in atomic clocks and more recently in ion propulsion systems.
Atomic Clock
Although cesium is much harder to come across than the other alkali metals, it is still more common than elements like iodine, uranium, and even arsenic. Few cesium minerals are even known, pollucite is the main one: they are silicate magmas cooled from granite. World production of cesium compounds is just 20 tons per year, coming mainly from the Bernic Lake in Canada with some, not much from Zimbabwe and South-West Africa.
3. Synthesis/Production
The metal is characterized by a spectrum containing two bright lines in the blue. It is silvery gold, soft, and ductile. It is the most electropositive and most alkaline element. Cesium, gallium, and mercury are the only three metals that are liquid at or around room temperature. Cesium reacts explosively with cold water, and reacts with ice at temperatures above -116°C. Cesium hydroxide is a strong base and attacks glass. Cesium reacts with the halogens to form a fluoride, chloride, bromide, and iodide. Cesium metal oxidized rapidly when exposed to the air and can form he dangerous super-oxide on its surface.
4. Human Health Implications
Humans can be exposed to cesium by drinking, eating or even breathing. The air levels of cesium are normally low, but radioactive cesium has been detected in some levels in surface water and in many types of foods.
The amount of cesium in foods and drinks depends on the amount of radioactive cesium released through nuclear power plants. People that work in the nuclear power industry may be exposed to higher levels of cesium, but many precautionary measurements can be taken to prevent this.
It is very unlikely that people experience health effects that can be traced back to cesium. When contact with radioactive cesium occurs, which is highly unlikely, a person can experience cell damage due to radiation of the cesium particles. And if that occurs, effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and even bleeding may occur. When some one is exposed for a long period of time they may lose consciousness. They could fall into a coma or even die. How serious the effects are depends upon the resistance of the individual people, the duration of exposure, and the concentration a person is exposed to.
5. Environmental Implications
Cesium is somewhat emitted into the environment naturally, normally from erosion. It is also released into the air, water and soil through mining and milling of ores. Radioactive isotopes of cesium may be released into the air by nuclear power plants and during nuclear accidents and nuclear weapons testing.
The radioactive isotopes can only be decreased in concentration, but only through radioactive decay. Non-radioactive cesium can either be destroyed when it enters the environment or it could react with other compounds and bond into very specific molecules. Both radioactive and stable cesium act the same way within the bodies of humans and animals, in a chemical way.
When cesium is in the air it can travel long distances before even settling on earth. In water and soils most cesium compounds are very water-soluble. In soils, however, cesium does not rinse out into the groundwater. It will stay within the top layers of soils and strongly bond to soil particles. And thusfore, as a result it is not readily available for uptake through plant roots. Radioactive cesium can enter plants by falling on leaves. If that occurs the plants wouldn’t be able to dissolve the cesium and it will eventually die.
Sites
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caesium
(explanations, introduction, background information)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_clock
(what it’s used for)
http://www.webelements.com/webelements/elements/text/Cs/key.html
(element descriptions, formulas)
http://environmentalchemistry.com/yogi/periodic/Cs.html
(ionic structures, radiuses & stuff)